The Department has not collected information centrally on the number of students who qualified to become nurses over the last five years.
The following table shows the number of vacancies for nurses which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (full time equivalents) at 31 March of each year for the last five years.
Number 2002 8,390 2003 7,967 2004 7,508 2005 5,801 2006 2,884 Source: National Health Service vacancy survey as at 31 March each year